As varnish on the cheek of harlot light;
The rest thin sown with profit or delight,
But ill compares with ancient song,
Where Genius pour'd its flood along:
Yet such is Art's presumptuous idle claim,
She marshals out the way to modern fame;
From Grecian fables' pompous lore
Description's studied, glittering store,

Smooth, soothing sounds, and sweet alternate rime,
Clinking, like change of bells, in tingle tangle chime.

3.

The lark shall soar in every Ode,

With flow'rs of light description strew'd;
And sweetly, warbling Philomel, shall flow
Thy soothing sadness in mechanic woe.

Trim epithets shall spread their gloss,
While ev'ry cell's o'ergrown with moss:
Here oaks shall rise in chains of ivy bound,
There smouldering stones o'erspread the rugged ground.
Here forests brown, and azure hills,

There babbling fonts, and prattling rills;
Here some gay river floats in crisped streams,
While the bright sun now gilds his morning beams,
Or sinking to his Thetis' breast,

Drives in description down the west.

Oh let me boast, with pride becoming skill,
I crown the summit of Parnassus' hill:

While Taste with Genius shall dispense,
And sound shall triumph over sense;
O'er the gay mead with curious steps I'll stray,
And, like the bee, steal all its sweets away;
Extract its beauty, and its power,

From every new poetic flower,

Whose sweets collected may a wreath compose;

To bind the poet's brow, or please the critic's nose.

Lines to Lloyd, p. 69, n. 28.-The epistle from which these lines are extracted is signed R. Shepherd,-a learned, pious, and exemplary man, afterwards archdeacon of Bedford. Happy had it been for Lloyd if his most intimate associates had held the same sane and salutary opinions. A list of his works may be found in Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. ii. p. 328. Among those works is "The Nuptials, a didactic poem, in three books," 1762, 4to.; and the following passage, remarkable enough in itself, in one of Lloyd's Dialogues, identifies the author of that poem with his correspondent. The Poet is replying to a Friend who advises him to produce a work of length,

Something which speaks poetic strength.

AUTHOR.

The current studies of the day
Can rarely reach beyond a Play,

Whose Nuptials, sir?
AUTHOR.

A Poet's. Did that poem stir?

No,-fixt, though thousand readers pass,
It still looks through its pane of glass,

And seems indignant to exclaim,

Pass on, ye SONS of TASTE, for shame!-Vol. i. p. 374.

Lloyd in the Fleet, p. 71.-When Lloyd's fable of the Hare and Tortoise was originally published in the Connoisseur, (No. 90, Oct. 15, 1755,) one of the editors prefaced it with an introductory paper, part of which Thornton, Colman, and Lloyd himself, must at this time have looked back upon as prophetic.

"If we consider that part of our acquaintances whom we remember from their infancy, we shall find that the expectations we once entertained of their future abilities are in many instances disappointed. Those who were accounted heavy dull boys, have by diligence and application made their way to the first honours, and become eminent for their learning and knowledge of the world; while others who were regarded as bright lads, and imagined to possess parts equal to any scheme of life, have turned out dissolute and ignorant; and quite unworthy the title of a genius, except in the modern acceptation of the word, by which it signifies a very silly young fellow, who, from his extravagance and debauchery, has obtained the name of a genius, like lucus a non lucendo, because he has no genius at all.

It is a shocking drawback from a father's happiness, when he sees his son blessed with strong natural parts and quick conception, to reflect that these very talents may be his ruin. If vanity once gets into his head and gives it a wrong turn, the young coxcomb will neglect the means of im provement, trust entirely to his native abilities, and be as ridiculously proud

of his parts, as the brats of quality are taught to be of their family. In the meantime, those whom nature threw far behind him, are by application enabled to leave him at a distance in their turn; and he continues boasting of his genius, till it subsists no longer, but dies for want of cultivation. Thus vanity and indolence prevent his improvement; and if he is to rise in the world by his merit, take away the means of success, and perhaps reduce him to very miserable distresses. I know one of these early geniuses who scarce supports himself by writing for a bookseller; and another who is at leisure to contemplate his extraordinary parts in the Fleet prison."

"If

Sir Richard Sutton, p. 74.-He was a younger son of Sir Robert Sutton and Lady Sunderland. When he went to Cambridge, in 1750, after having been long at the head of the school, Warburton introduced him by letter to Hurd, as the most extraordinary boy he had ever known. you won't take my word," he adds, "I will give you Dr. Nicoll's, who tells me he never met with his fellow ?—a perfect boy in the simplicity of his manners, but of surprising acquirements. Besides his knowledge of the antient languages, he speaks and writes Spanish and French with great exactness, understands Italian, and is now learning High Dutch."

Eleven years afterwards Hurd writes to Warburton, "Mr. Sutton did me the favour to steal away from his companions on the circuit last week, and to spend a day with me at Thurcaston. He seems intent upon his profession. But what pleased me most was to find the same sweetness of temper and simplicity of manners which he carried out with him when he made the grand tour. I took that short visit very kindly, and the more so, as he promises to repeat it as oft as he comes to Leicester."-Nichols's Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century, vol. v. pp. 541, 542.

Mr. Sutton succeeded to his father's baronetcy, and I know not that he was heard of either in literature, or in public life, for both which he seems to have been so richly endowed by nature, and so carefully to have qualified himself. Indolence cannot have been the cause of this: probably he was wise enough to enjoy the blessings which fortune offered him, and which he could not have enjoyed unless he had been too wise to be ambitious of notoriety or power.

Whole duty of Man, p. 81.-" Very strange," says the Monthly Review (April, 1764), “that several of our established clergy, who have had a liberal education, should seem ambitious, at this day, of rivalling the old Puritans in absurdity and fanaticism; and under a pretence of supplying the defects, truly, of that excellent and useful tract called the Whole Duty of Man, they are presenting us with a Wholer Duty of Man, by introducing a system, or rather a farrago, of such doubtful, dark, and abstruse notions, as the author of the aforesaid tract had very prudently and piously omitted."

The Olney Hymns met with some opposition in a quarter where it was little expected, p. 184.—I have received, says Mr. Newton, (I suppose from the author) a book Mr. Romaine has lately published on the subject of Psalmody. I wish he had treated it in a different manner. I do not feel myself hurt by his censure of modern hymn makers, but I am afraid it will hurt some weak, well meaning people, who consider him as little less

than infallible, to be told, that whatever comfort they may think they have received from singing hymns in public worship was only imaginary. And he has laid himself very open to those who do not love him. He seems to ascribe all the deadness that is complained of in many places where the gospel is preached (I suppose he chiefly means the London Dissenters,) to their not singing Sternhold and Hopkins. Strange that a wise man can advance such paradoxes. This judgment involves not only the Dissenters, and the Locke, but the Tabernacle, Tottenham Court, Everton, Helmsley, and many other places where, I should think, we must allow the Lord has afforded his blessing. The curate of Olney, and his poor people, may be content to be reviled amongst so much good company. I think many of his best friends must wish this book had not appeared. What a mercy is it, that we are not to stand or fall by man's judgment! Some of us here know that the Lord has comforted us by hymns, which express scriptural truths, though not confined to the words of David's Psalms; and we know, by the effects, we are not mistaken. I believe Dr. Watts's hymns have been a singular blessing to the churches, notwithstanding Mr. Romaine does not like them.-Letter to Mr. Thornton, Aug. 3, 1775.

Franklin, p. 237.-A letter which has come to my hands just as these notes are going to the press, shows the channel through which Cowper's first volume was conveyed to this distinguished person. Writing to Mr. Powley, (pmo. June, 1782,) Mr. Thornton says, "I transmitted Mr. Cowper a copy of a letter I had from Dr. Franklin, to whom I sent his Poems by Mr. Walker, of Rotheram, when he went lately to Paris; and he gave a spirited French answer, but not from the heart. However, as you will see by Mr. Cowper's reply, it answered a good purpose."

I should feel it to be a sin of omission were I not to add, that the letter from which this passage is transcribed, enclosed twenty pounds for the poor of a distant parish.

Extract from the Elbow Chair, by the Rev. E. Cooper, p. 247.

At the sound

Of deep-mouth'd beagles all the soul's on fire.
Up from the bed of sloth, thou lazy cit,
And meet the morning's freshest looks, and hear
The hills and dales resound with joyful cries!
Here bring thy courser to the sylvan train,
And join the mutual cry: for buxom health
Repays our toil, and o'er the nut-brown jug
At night the mirthful tale inspires the soul.
Here will I sit upon the verdant side

Of this known hill: observe the merry crew
With sense sagacious (as they quest along),

Now catch the' informing gale: what sweet-toned thunder
Rolls tremulous along the winding vale!

For Trimbush now confirms the doubtful strife,
And all the pack his well-known voice obey.

Quick see the hare skim o'er the lessening plain, s. c.-1.

H H

In view, the general chorus loud resounds.
Such charming music never did I hear;
For, Somerville! a cry more tuneable,

"Was never hallow'd to, nor cheer'd with horn,"
E'en woods and dales rejoiced, and join'd the cry.
Swift as the bounding roe yon coursers fly,
Outstrip the wind, and skim along the mead.
Now to yon grove, where, playful oft and young,
The leveret peaceful stray'd, a refuge there
She seeks in vain: for ah! here echoing yell
With double fury bursts upon her ear:
In doubling mazes now she seeks to foil

The approaching foe: but mind yon steady hound,
(Whose age experience in the pleasing chase
Oft times has taught,) now with a glorious thirst
Of generous ardour eager speed his way;

A certain sign, that now she sinks-and dies.
The strepent horn confirms the joyful news,
And all around shrill propagates the sound.
These are the sports of Welshmen: did ye know
The luxury of sleep, ye sons of ease,

Oft got by rural pastime, ye would scorn
The blandishments of down, and all the arts

Emollient, which disgrace the race of men.

"Some very faulty lines, and useless epithets we have observed in this poem; but as the good-humoured author appears to be quite snug and happy in his Elbow Chair, we are unwilling to disturb him by descending to particular animadversions, and more especially as the random, incoherent nature of the piece may seem to claim an exemption from a too rigid trial by the laws of criticism."-Monthly Review, for 1765, vol. xxxiii.

Lace-makers, p. 253.—Children are taught to make lace at about six or seven years old; and they occupy so much of the attention of their schoolmistress, that the expense of teaching them amounts to three shillings per week, for a month or six weeks, according to their capacity. After they have learned the rudiments of their art, their ordinary schooling is sixpence per week.

The business of school-mistress for lace-makers is performed by the wives of some of the cottagers, who are in the most comfortable circumstances. The children are frequently two years before they earn more than pays the expense of their thread and schooling.

At about ten years of age, those of an ordinary capacity will earn about two shillings per week; and at thirteen, if well attended to, they are supposed to cause little further expense to their parents.

A young girl of sixteen, if not neglected by her friends, will be capable of earning as much money at the lace-pillow as at any time in future life; and the average earnings of full-grown females is supposed to be very nearly six shillings per week. There are some, I am informed, who scarcely clear five shillings per week; and a few extreme cases have been mentioned of earnings as high as eight shillings or nine shillings per week. The expense of